Mark 13:33

For the fourth time, Jesus urged His disciples to take heed (Gr. blepete, Mark 13:5; Mark 13:9; Mark 13:23). He underlined this warning by adding, "Be vigilant" (Gr. agrypneite). Watchfulness is necessary because we do not know the exact time of Jesus’ return.

In view of God’s revelations concerning the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the Second Coming, were Jesus’ exhortations to remain watchful unnecessarily urgent? Christians who know their Bibles are aware that many events will precede the Second Coming. Is it realistic or necessary to live as though Jesus’ return is imminent?

Jesus’ return was not less than seven years away from His departure from the earth because the Old Testament prophesied the Tribulation before the messianic kingdom (Daniel 9:24-27). Therefore the 12 disciples to whom Jesus gave this discourse could have been only a few years away from His return. They needed to be vigilant. That generation of disciples and all succeeding generations of disciples learned later that Jesus would return for His own at the Rapture before He comes at the Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Thus while His second coming is at least seven years away, His return at the Rapture will be sooner. Pretribulationists believe it could be at any moment. Therefore all that Jesus said about the importance of being vigilant anticipating His return is applicable to and relevant for us.